Three Kids and a Boat: Party Time in Harbor Island

Harbor Island, Eluethera. What can I say...it's known for the 3 1/2 mile long pristine 'pink' sand beach on the ocean side of the island. It was once the capitol of the Bahamas and the second largest city to Nassau in the 1900's. Dunmore Town is the only city on Harbor Island and its current population is between 1500 and 2000. It just so happens to be one of the oldest settlements in the Bahamas. It was a small and quaint village where New England meets the Caribbean. It was best known for its ship building and sugar refinement back in the day.

Following Patronus from Spanish Wells to Harbor Island. We hired a captain, Bandit, to navigate both our boats through the dreaded Devils Backbone. Navigating the Bahamas is challenging with its shallow waters and reefs surrounding the islands. One thing we learned and altered plans accordingly, was to make sure we entered or exited an anchorage in the middle of the day when the sun was high and we could see potential hazards in the water. Devil's backbone is no exception, unless you have the local knowledge of a captain. It might seem straight forward when looking at the chart, but if the wind is the wrong direction or the waves too choppy or the sun at the wrong angle, you could end up awash on a reef. Devils backbone is a very narrow passage between land and reef. One wrong move or perhaps your chart plotter is not as accurate as you thought, it could be over. Do you want to take that kind of chance through the Devil's Backbone? Would you mess around with a channel name like that??

As we pass around a point and enter into the Devil's Backbone, I thought this sign was pretty funny. Actually, this gazebo was on private property. There was a resort on the other side. That sign is not for the locals!

Phew, we made it safely through the Devil's backbone and for future reference, our chart plotter was spot on as far a 'trail' to follow. Next time we can trust our chart plotter software. As we approached the anchorage in Dunmore Town on Harbor Island, this was the wall of water we were racing to beat. I got everything ready.....had the bridles unhooked, had the anchor chain safety line removed and ready for deployment and had the windlass on. We motored into the anchorage a bit faster than we normally do, spun the boat around in the increasing wind, Craig and Maggie ran up on the bow, dropped the anchor, got it secure and were back under the bimini with only a few raindrops on their backs! No sooner did they step foot into the cockpit, the rain came down in sheets! It was an incredible team effort if I ever saw one.

This is our fellow Manta friends on True Colors just after the squall passed through

License plate art

Golf carts are the mode of transportation on this island. So much more quiet and easier to find a park space!

Even the sunsets are pretty here

Porter celebrated his 7th birthday at a water-side Italian restuarant and invited us! We were so honored and thrilled to celebrate with him. His family traveled by golf cart but we, however, traveled by dinghy.

Chris had an assemblage of family members visit and we were thankful to be included and hang out with them. Here, the kids playing at the resort pool.

View of the pool with harbor in the background

Craig was excited to be invited on Irish Wake - a beautiful 65 foot sport fishing boat owned by Chris's- sisters's-husbands's dad,Tom. Did you follow that??